Thermostat valve mechanism



Dec. 8, 1936. F. H. SCHIOENFELD 2,063,465

THERMOSTAT VALVE MECHANISM Filed May 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a boiler, more particularly a fuel control valve, operated by a thermostat. My invention is shown applied to a water heater of the storage tank type having a 5 burner utilizing a gaseous fuel as illustrating its preferred application.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved thermostatic, valve operating mechanism that is relatively simple and positive in opl eration.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved thermostatic, valve operating mechanism having a multl-leverage mounted for adjustment relative to the thermostat elements,

16 whereby the latter may be efiective within -a smaller or greater temperature range of the water in the tank.

Other objects of myinvention will be understood from the following description of the pre- 20 ferred embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a water heater apparatus. having applied thereto athermostat mechanism embodying my invention, the tank 25 being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a view, partly. in'section, of the mecha- Figs. 4, 5, 6 and '7 are sections on the lines 30 4-4, 5-5, 6-6 and 1-1, respectively, of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a view showing certain parts in perspective, disassembled.

Referring to Fig. 1, lindicates a suitable tank v which is supplied with water by means of a supply 35 pipe 2 connected with pressure supply mains. The tank I is shown mounted on a pedestal l. The walls of the tank may be insulated in any desired manner. 4 indicates a suitable heating device preferably disposed at one side of the tank I and 40 comprising an encased coil 5 and a gaseous fuel burner 6, supplied with fuel through a pipe I. The lower end of the coil 6 is connected by a pipe 8 with the lower portion of the tank, whereas the upper end of the coil 5 is connected by a pipe 9 to the top of the tank I, whereby heating of the water in the coil induces a flow therethrough, the eifect'of which is to heat and maintain heated the water in thetank. ll indicates alsupply pipe 50 leading from the upper portion of the tank I to convey the heated waterto the station or stations for use, the pipe It being preferably connected to the pipe I. As will be understood, when the hot water is drawn off through pipe Ill, it is replacedby cold water supplied by pipe 2, the elect of which is to lower the temperature of the body of water in the tank I.

ll indicates generally a thermostatic mechanism mounted in the side wall of the tank I and interposed in the fuel pipe 1 to control the flow 5 therethrough. Of the mechanism II, [2 indicates a casting having a hollow boss l3. The boss is threaded interiorly to engage a. nipple mounted in the container wall where the latter is encased with insulation or a jacket and is also threaded 1o exteriorly to engage a nut I a, suitably secured to the side wall of the tank. The casting is also shaped to form a chamber l5 and an off-set portion IS. The wall of the casting at the lower end of the chamber l5 terminates in a threaded nipple Ha to which the lower portion of the pipe 1 is connected. The upper end of the chamber is closed by a removable cap i2 preferably engaging screw threads on the inner wall of the cham-"- her. The wall of the casting between the boss I3 X and chamber I5 is formed with a transverse opening I! for a purpose later set forth and aligned openings I8, 18a, co-axial with the axis of the boss l3. l9 indicates a tube threaded at its inner end in a liquid tight manner into the opening Ilia and provided at its outer end with a bushing i9a which is threaded internally. The tube I9 is formed of a material, such as copper, that has a.

high co-eflicient of expansion. 2|! indicates a rod within the tube l9 and having threaded en- 3 gagement at its outer end with the bushing Illa so that by rotating the rod it may be adjusted endwise for a purpose later set forth. The inner end of the rod 20 slidably extends through the opening it into the chamber i5 for engagement with a multiplying leverage, indicated as. an entirety at 2!, mounted within the chamber i5 and arranged to operate a valve 22. The rod 20 is formed of a suitable material, such as invar metal, which has a low co-efllcient of expansion. The rod 20' is supported centrally of the tube 19 by the bushing l9a and walls of the opening IS.

The difset portion i6 of the casting is co structed or shaped to form a chamber 23, whic is in axial relation to an opening 24 formed in the adjacent side wall of the chamber i5, and a lateral passage 25 communicating with the chamber 23. The wall of the opening 24 forms the seat,- ofthe valve 22. The inner wall of the.

passage 25 is threaded to permit connection thereto'of the fuel supply pipe 1. 26 indicates a hollow plug for closing the outer end of the chamber 23.- The plug is closed at its outer end and serves as a mounting'fdr the valve element 22 of the valve 22. The outer end portion of the 5 plug 26 is provided with external threads and removably screwed into the outer end of the chamber 23. The inner end of the plug 26 is closed by a cap 21 removably threaded therein. The cap 21 is formed with a through, axially disposed opening in which is slidably mounted the shank 28 for the valve element 22. The inner end of the shank 28 is engaged by an expansion spring 29 which is arranged within the plug 26 and normally tends to force ,the valve against its seat to close the opening 24. As will be understood, the gaseous fuel supplied by the pipe l flows through the passage chamber 23, opening 24, chamber l5 to the portion of the pipe I connected to the burner when the valve 22 is actuated to open position by the leverage 2| under control of the thermostat elements. The valve element 22' is threaded on the shank 28 to permit of adjustment therealong the effect of which is to increase or decrease the tension of the spring 29.

30 indicates a frame removably fitting within the chamber i5 and having sliding engagement with the inner walls thereof to permit its adjustment longitudinally of the chamber by a mechanism indicated as an entirety at iii. The frame 30 supports the leverage 2i, so that when the frame is adjusted, the leverage is bodily moved relative to the rod 2%, the result of which is to change the effective length of the lever arm between the rod 20 and the fulcrum for that lever engaged thereby with a corresponding proportionate change in the effective length of the other arm of the lever. This adjustment serves to increase or decrease the range of operation of the thermostat elements to open and close the valve 22. By preference, the thermo-elements and the leverage M are normally arranged to open the valve 22 when the temperature of the water in the tank l drops to 168 F. and to close the valve 22 when the temperature of the water rises to 180 F., thereby providing a temperature range of 12 F. between closing and opening of the valve. By adjusting the frame 30' upwardly this temperature range may be decreased; by adjusting the frame in the reversed direction the range is increased. The frame 30 is shaped .so that spaced side portions thereof will engage guideways formed in the inner wall of the chamber I5. The inner wall of the chamber !5 is cylindrical and formed with longitudinally extending, substantially right-angled shaped grooves l5a, preferably broached by a suitable tool, such grooves forming the guide-ways for the frame 30. The frame 30 is preferably formed of a section of sheet metal, which is stamped out and bent by suitable dies providing an interme-' diate wall a and side walls 301), the wall 30a having at its lower end an inturned member 32 disposed between the side walls as of the frame to reinforce them. The member 32termin'ates in an arm 33 which is bent upwardly for a purpose later set'forth. The intermediate wall 38a of the frame 30 is formed with an upper opening 34 and a lower opening 35, the purpose of which open ings will later appear; Where portions of sheet metal are bent into an angular relation the corner assumes a slightly rounded shape as shown at 39 and accordingly if those portions of the frame 30 that enter and slide in the guide-ways I50 were of this shape the guide-ways would have to be broached deep enough to engage the frame walls beyond the rounded corners, but by forming in the intermediate wall 30a or side walls 301) corners, those portions of the corners co-extensive with the openings 31, as shown at 31a, assume a well defined right-angle shape, so that relatively slight breaching is required to form the guide-ways l5a. As will be understood from Figs. 3 and 4, the free edges of the side walls 30b and corners 31a. slide in the guide-ways I511.

The upper ends of the side walls 30b are cut away to form shoulders 38, the resulting corners forming bearings for knife edge bearing or fulcrum elements 39 provided on the opposite sides of a lever 40, which constitutes one element of the leverage 2|. The elements 39 are bent outwardly so that their knife edges may rest in their bearings and clear the adjacent walls. The fulcrum arrangement for the lever 40 provides a short arm 40:; which is engaged by the inner end of the rod 20 and a long arm 49b which pivotally supports at its outer or lower end a second lever M, (constituting the other element of the leverage 2! so as to move the pivot for the lever 4! to either side of the arm 33, as later set forth. The lever 40 is off-set at M to provide operating space for the lever M and is provided at its free end with in-turned legs 42 on which the lever 4| is pivoted, the legs 42 being spaced to accommodate the fixed arm 33 between them. The legs 42 are formed with alined V-grooves 42a to receive knife edges 43 provided on spaced legs 44 at the pivoted end of the lever 4i, these legs being spaced to accommodate the arm 33 and lower end of a tension spring 45 which is connected at one end to the arm. The lever M is off-set at a,

4512, opposite to the offset 40' of the lever 40 to.

accommodate the spring 45. The spring 45 is connected at its other end to the outer end portion of the lever 4!, as shown at 45a, and serves to swing its outer end, with a snap action movement, toward or from the valve element 22' upon movement of its pivoted end relative to the arm 33, that is, to either side of a plane cutting the arm 33 and connection 45a between the spring 45 and lever 4|. The upper end of the lever 4| is provided with a lateral extension 46 the outer end portion of which is reduced to form shoulders 41. The outer end of the reduced portion terminates in a thrust member or striker 4%, which engages with and operates the valve element 22 to open the valve 22 such end being preferably bent at an angle to form a relatively wide surface for engaging the valve element 22' or the projecting end of its shank 28 in all adjusted positions of the leverage 2!. As shown, the extension 46 and striker 48 operate in and through the opening 34. The upper end portion of the lever 4! is provided at its opposite sides with rearwardly extending lugs Ma: which engage the lever 40 to limit the movement of the lever inwardly or away from the valve 22 under the influence of the spring 45, whereas the shoulders 41 engage the wall 30a. of the frame 30 to limit the movement of the lever under the influence of the spring in the opposite direction.

48 indicates an arm fixed by a set screw 48a to the rod 20 substantially midway the side walls of the opening l1. lhe arm 48' projects beyond the side wall of the casing 52, whereby it may be engaged and operated relative to graduations on the edge of a wall 49'. Such operation of the arm 48 will rotate the rod 20, the effect of which is to adjust the rod 20 endwise relative to the tube l9, due to its threaded connection with the bushing l9a. This adjustment moves the range of movement of the operating mechanism 2| up or down. If the parts are set for a twelve degree aoeaacs chamber, guide means between said support and Y the inner wall of said chamber for adjustably lever 40 to the point of contact of the thermomember or rod is with the lever arm 40a. This is preferably accomplished by bodily adjusting the operating mechanism 2|, as already set forth. As the mechanism 2| is carried by the frame 30, movement of the latter upwardly or downwardly by the mechanism II will effect the adjustment last referred to. Themechanism 3| comprises the following: ill indicates a hollow boss threaded into an opening 5| formed in the side wall of the casing l2 and forming a bearing for a shaft 52. The inner end of the shaft 52 is provided with the pinion 53 which meshes with a rack 54 provided on one side wall of the opening 35-. The outer end of the shaft has fixed to it a cup member 55. The circumferential edge of the cup member 55 fits closely against the flange of the boss SI. 56 is a suitable gasket or packing surrounding the shaft 52 within the cup member 55 and compressed tightly against the boss flange by an expansion spring 51 to form a seal. As shown the spring 51 surrounds the outer portion of the shaft 52 and engages the end wall of the cupmember. The tension of the spring on-the cup member 55 serves to normally prevent rotation thereof and accordingly prevents the shaft from rotating, except when such tension is over-w come by sufficient force applied to the'cup member 55; If desired the outer end of the shaft may be formed with a kerf and/or its side walls shaped to take a suitable tool when rotation of the shaft 52 is to be made. By rotating the shaft 40 52, the frame 30 may be raised or lowered along its guides l5a. The cap I! closes the upper end of the chamber l5 and when it and the boss 5! are removed, the frame 30 and mechanism 2| may be removed from the chamber I 5. The lever arm 40a is preferably provided with a groove 40a to prevent lateral movement of the rod 20 relative to the lever.

It will be understood that to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, many changes in construction and widely difl'ering embodiments will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit andgscope of the-invention as set forth in the appended claims, the

disclosures and the description herein being purely illustrative and not intended to be limiting.

What Iclaim is: i

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of ya casing shaped to form a chamber and having an outlet opening and an inlet opening, a normally closed, spring operated valve for one of said 'openings, a support within said chamber. guide means between said support and the inner wall of Jsafid-cham supporting said suppo age mounted insai one-lever of said leverage being operate said valve, a thermo-elem ent arranged to" engage another lever of said leverage to operate the go means for adjusting said support. v

2. Ii -a device-of-the class described,.the com- .inultiple leverlatter, and

bination-of abasing shaped to-form a chamber 1 and having an outlet opening and an inlet op'en- 'ing,'- a normally closed, spring operated valve fore "3 one of said openings, .a support within said its other endconnected to said support substansupporting said support therein, a multiple leverage mounted in said support, one lever of said leverage being arranged to operate said valve, 9, thermo-element arranged to engage another lever of. said leverage to operate the latter, and means for adjusting said support, said adjusting means including an element extending through the wall of the casing to permit adjustment of said support.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing shaped to form a chamber and'having an outlet opening and an inlet opening, a normally closed, spring operated valve for one of "said openings, a support within said chamber, guide means between said support and the inner wall of said chamber for adjustably supporting said support therein, a multiple leverage mounted in said support, one lever of said leverage being arranged to operate said valve, a thermo-element arranged to engage another lever of said leverage to operate the latter, and means for adjusting said support, said adjusting means comprising ,a rack on said sup-, port, a pinion in mesh therewith and a shaft fixed to said pinion and extending through the wall of said casing, whereby the pinion may be operated.

4. In a device of the class described, the com-- and an outlet opening, a normally closed, spring operated valve for one of said openings, a support slidably engaging the wall of said chamber for adjustmentthereon and. removable therefrom through'the open end thereof, a removable cap for said opening, a thermo-element, a multiple leverage operatively related to said thermo-element and said valve and carried by said support for bodily movement therewith, and means for adjusting said support, said means including an element operable exteriorly of said casing and removably mounted in the 'wall thereof.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing shaped to form a chamber open at one end and having an inlet opening and an outlet opening,- a normally closed spring operated valve for one of said openings, a support slidably engaging the walls of said chamber for adjustment therein and removable therefrom through the open end thereof, a removable cap for said opening, a pair of thermo-elements oneof which extends into said chamber, means for and having inlet and outlet openings, a valve for one of said openings, a theme-element extending into'said chamber, a support removably mounted in said chamber, a multiple leverage comprising a main lever fulcrumed on said support and arranged to be engaged by said thermoelement, a second lever-pivoted on one end of said main lever, and a spring connected at one end to the outer end of said second lever and at tlally midway the limits of movement of the axis of said second lever on said main lever.

-'.i.-=In a device of the class described, the com bination of a casing shaped to form a chamber and having inlet and outlet openings, a valve for one of said openings, a thermo-element extending into said chamber, a support removably mounted in said chamber, a multiple leverage comprising a main lever fulcrumed on said support and arranged to be engaged by said thermo-element, a second lever pivoted on one end of said main lever, and a spring connected at one end to the outer end of said second lever and at its other end connected to said support substantially midway the limits of movement of the axis of said second lever on said nain lever, and means for limiting the movement of said second lever in opposite directions,

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing shaped to form a chamber and having inlet and outlet openings, a valve for one of said openings, a thermo-element extending into said chamber, a support removably mounted in said chamber, a multiple lever comprising a main lever fulcrumed on said support and arranged to be engaged by said thermo element, a second lever pivoted on one end of said main lever, and a spring connected at one end to the outer end of said second lever and at its other end connected to said support substantially midway the limits of movement of the axis of said second lever on said main lever, and means for limiting the movement of said second lever in opposite directions, and means for adjusting said support to vary the relation of said thermo-element to the fulcrum for said main lever.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing shaped to form a chamber and having inlet and outlet openings, a valve for one of said openings, a thermo-element extending into said chamber, a support removably mounted in said chamber, a multiple leverage comprising a main lever fulcrumedon said support and arranged to be engaged by said thermo-element, a second lever pivoted on one end of said main lever, and a spring connected at one end to the outer end of said second lever ended; its other end connected to said support substantially midway the limits of movement of the axis of said second lever on said main lever, and'means for limiting the movement of said second lever in opposite directions, and means for adjusting said support to vary the relation of said thermmelement to the fulcrum for said main lever, the free end of said second lever having a long striker for engagement with said valve to compensate for the adjustment of said support.

10. In a valve of the character described, the I combination of a casing having an inlet and an outlet opening and having broached parallel seats, a supporting member formed to be slidably mounted. within said casing and fitted ontosaid seats, plurality'of levers within said member and comprising a main lever being pivoted to said member and another lever being pivoted to said main lever, a normally closed, spring-operated valve cooperating with one of said openingsand adapted to' be opened by the movement of said plurality of levers, and means for actuating said main lever.

11. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a casing having broached parallel seats, a frame slidably mounted within the easing and carried by said seats, means extending outside of the casingjor efiecting movement of the frame with respect to said casing, a plurality of levers mounted within said frame and comprising a main lever being pivoted to the frame, another of said levers being pivoted to said main lever, means for actuating said main lever, a spring for holding said levers onto their pivotal supports and for effecting a snap action, and a 

